Different Start
by shannigansx
Summary: She knew this time would be different. Preseries LL.


**Different Start**

_Author's Note: This is for my wonderful friend and beta xphilehb who always has patience with me and my writing. She gave me a great prompt to work with (which is at the end), so I want to give her a huge thank you!_

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Everything was different this time. She could feel it in every fiber of her being. As she watched the sleeping man before her, she wanted nothing more than to reach out and touch him. But she restrained herself, knowing that the moment her fingertips brushed against his skin, she would wake him. After the day they'd had, that was the last thing she wanted.

She remembered the day that he had walked into her life, or rather, the day she had walked into his. It had been a horrible day, a disastrous one at the Inn. She had wanted nothing more than to curl up in bed with her daughter and watch a movie. Unfortunately, the night maid had called in sick, so she was stuck with the extra shift. She had quickly made arrangements with Lane's mother for Rory to spend the night there. The last thing she had wanted was to drag her daughter along with her on her rounds.

With very little sleep and more than one ornery guest, Lorelai had barely made it through the night. She had breathed a sigh of relief when she had finally been relieved from her duties early the next morning.

Wanting some time alone and a chance to clear her mind before going home to her daughter, she had made her way down to the lake. She liked to sit on the bridge and let go of all her frustrations from the day. It was the time of day she looked forward to the most. It kept her sane. More than anything, it kept her from bringing the terrible days home to her daughter. That was the last thing she wanted. She didn't want Rory to see any of the day-to-day strives that she faced. Her daughter was the one shining ray in all of the darkness and frustrations, and Lorelai wanted to keep her that way.

That day, she had been on the bridge before she had noticed the figure already sitting in her spot. She had frozen in her tracks, surprised to see someone there at that time in the morning. He must have heard her footsteps, because he had turned to look at her. Lorelai had realized immediately that the man had been crying. Embarrassed, she had mumbled an apology and started to walk away.

She hadn't even made it off the bridge when his voice had called out to her, inviting her to stay. She had hesitated for a moment, nearly turning down his invitation. Something in his voice, however, had made her want to stay. She had thought maybe it was desperation. Slowly, she had turned and walked over to him, gently seating herself next to him. She had glanced at him, briefly taking in his gruff appearance and noting he appeared similar to her in age, before she had turned her attention to the solemn water like she always did when she came here.

She didn't know how it had happened – or even who had initiated it – but before either of them knew it, they had been engaged in a conversation. She had told him all about her day at the Inn and how she had a six-year-old daughter which she had shipped off to a friend's. He hadn't looked down at her or shown disgust like most people did when she told them she had a child and they noted her young age. Instead, he had given her a smile and asked her to tell him more about Rory. She had obliged, finding comfort in his small questions.

In return, he had told her about his sick father, confessing how scared he was to lose him. Not knowing what had come over her, Lorelai had wrapped her arm around his shoulders and held him close. She had whispered sweet words into his ear.

She had never experienced a moment like that before. She hadn't even known this man, yet she had opened up her heart to him. She had never allowed herself to do this. Lorelai had dated before, but she had never let those men into her life. They had not been permitted to break past her strong demeanor into her soft underbelly. She had felt the physical connection before – hell, that's how she ended up with Rory – but never a deeper, more intimate connection.

Yet here was this man – a man she had just met – and she was letting him in. She hadn't even questioned it. She had just let the walls she had built up fall.

When the sun had broken through the darkness, they had both stood to leave. Lorelai had given him a soft kiss on the cheek and asked him to come see her again. They had parted under the first rays of morning. She hadn't been sure if she would ever see him again.

Thus, she had been surprised to see Luke a few days later, standing outside of her home. At first, she had felt nervous. Scared that the feeling she had felt on that bridge had belonged solely to that point in time and that they would not transcend past the magic of that night. But he had given her a warm smile, and those fears had instantly melted away.

They had spent the day together – the three of them. He and Rory had taken an immediate liking to one another. Rory had slipped her hand into his and refused to let him go. Lorelai had never introduced Rory to any of the few men she had dated, fearing that her daughter would get attached. But for some reason, Lorelai had not been scared of Rory's attachment to Luke. She had actually welcomed it, inviting Luke to spend more time with them.

From that day on, Luke had become a daily presence in their lives. It had quickly become normal for Luke to come by first thing in the morning with breakfast. Then later in the day, after work and his father's medical appointments, he would return to spend the evening with her and Rory.

It had been a long time since she'd had a friend besides her daughter. Every time she saw him, she couldn't help but smile. He was a welcome addition to her life.

Lorelai couldn't remember when it had happened, but she had found herself falling for him. She had pushed back the feelings, scared of losing the friendly relationship they shared. She had promised herself that this time would be different. She wouldn't start to let someone get close to her, only to pull the rug out from under their feet the moment she felt that her carefully built walls were being threatened.

She had never felt that apprehension with Luke. She had allowed him past those walls from the start, because he was her friend. Without the risks and dangers that came with romance, she thought that she could keep her heart safe. However, she was finding this to be a false perception. She cared about him more than as just a friend, and with that came all the heartache of love but none of the benefits.

As she leaned against the doorframe and watched him sleep, she finally knew what she wanted.

Today had been a nightmare. She could still hear the screeching of the tires and the cries of her daughter. She had stood there in shock, not even processing what had happened.

Rory had been chasing a butterfly - her favorite insect since Luke had given her _The Very Hungry Caterpillar_ – and she had finally caught it. Rory had held it up proudly and had barely said the words "look mommy" when the car hit her. Lorelai, who had been ready to congratulate her daughter, had frozen in place as she watched Rory hit the ground.

She couldn't even fully remember what happened after that. She recalled hearing Luke's voice as he raced from the hardware store, yelling instructions to members of the town. He had swooped down by Rory, asking her questions as to what hurt. After the paramedics arrived, and he had assured himself that Rory was conscious and okay, he had turned his attention to Lorelai.

He had pulled her into his embrace. It was then that she had finally snapped out of her shock and clung to him for dear life. She had let the tears flow freely. She had berated herself for letting this happen and then for just standing there. Luke had rubbed her back soothingly, telling her that she had done nothing wrong. It hadn't been her fault.

Luke had gone with them to the hospital, never letting go of Lorelai's hand. He had dealt with all the doctors, knowing what questions to ask and who to get answers from. He had held Rory's free hand as her other arm was fitted with a cast, telling the child of the time he had broken his arm during a game of football with some friends.

He had helped Rory get ready for bed and read her a bedtime story as Lorelai made the dreaded phone call to her parents to tell them what had happened. The last thing she wanted was for her father to read it in the morning paper. That would only make matters worse. Her mother had yelled at her and blamed her for the unlucky turn of events, and Lorelai was exhausted by the time she hung up the phone.

She had returned to the small bedroom she had curtained off for her and her daughter and leaned against the wall of the makeshift doorway. Luke had fallen asleep – the book he had been reading still in his lap.

Lorelai made a decision. She walked over to his sleeping form. Gently shaking his shoulder, she woke him up. She placed her finger over his lips and nodded to Rory before he could say a word. She held out her hand to him. After he took the offered hand in his own, she helped him up and then led him out of the potting shed.

He followed her quietly, not questioning her actions, which relieved her. She wasn't even quite sure what she was doing.

She led him to the bridge – the spot where they had first met many months ago. She stopped when they were standing in the place they had been sitting when she had first opened her heart to him and took his other hand in hers.

"Luke," she breathed, barely even audible.

He looked at her, remaining silent. Waiting for her to make whatever move she was going to next.

She leaned into him, letting her hands slip from his so she could wrap her arms around him. She inhaled his scent. She felt his hands graze over her back and then tangle themselves in her hair.

She pressed her lips softly against his, relishing the moment of their first kiss. Pulling back, she bit her lower lip, wondering if he felt the same way that she did. She smiled as she looked into his eyes. They were shining their brilliant shade of blue like they did whenever Luke was happy.

She giggled as she pulled Luke in for another kiss, melting completely into his warm embrace.

She knew this time would be different, because this time she was in love. And she wasn't scared at all.

_Fin. _

_Please review!_

_Prompt: "You thought you could change the world by opening your legs. Well, it isn't very hard. Try kicking them instead." Delilah, The Dresden Dolls_

One Thing I Would Like To See: Lorelai's POV; any timeline (pre, during, post-series, or all)


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